Paying His Debts
by Snapped Chopstick
Summary: Baram x Clyde yaoi. General fluffy things. Written because I've never seen it done before, and, yes, those cutscenes begged for it. Terribly evil.


Title: Paying His Debts  
Rating: PG-13  
Parts: 1/1  
Pairing: Baram x Clyde  
Author: Snapped Chopstick (SnappedChopstick@yahoo.com)  
Archives: Email me and ask.  
Warnings: Yaoi, shounen ai, OOCness. And so on and so forth, ad nauseum.  
  
Thoughts in /....../  
Speech in "......"  
Scene Change  
**********  
  
Notes: I hope you all know who I'm talking about when I say Clyde and Baram. If you don't, well, here's the quick rundown of their relationship and who Clyde is. Those in the know can skip the following paragraphs.  
  
Clyde is Shadow's real name. When he was younger (ten years younger, approximately) he was a train robber with his best friend Baram. He had a daughter; though it is never revealed who the mother is, it's fairly certain that Relm is his daughter. (There have been some who speculate that Relm and Shadow are older brother and younger sister instead of father and daughter, since they can both wear the Memento relic. Well, whatever's shibby for you, I say.)   
  
At any rate, Clyde and his buddy Baram are happy on their own, with no obligations and just robbing everybody blind. One day, they're returning from a million-GP heist when Baram stops and suggests to Clyde that they change their name. (I guess that he meant the name that they went by when they robbed trains, like a gang name or something.) Clyde's skeptical about the whole affair, so Baram picks it out: Shadow. (For added comedy, name Shadow something like "Greg" or somesuch. "People shall fear the name of... GREG!" ...okay, so it's not that funny.)   
  
There're a few more scenes, but they're fairly insignificant compared to the last dream-scene. (Last one that I've seen. Someone tell me if they've seen more.) It seems that someone's caught up with the two friends in crime and injured Baram rather severely. Clyde tries to get Baram to save his strength and make it to the next town, but Baram tells him that "You don't have to pretend." He's apparently lost too much blood and insists that he'd only slow Clyde down. Just as Clyde stops protesting and turns to go, Baram says: "Before you go... You have to use your knife." Understandably shocked, Clyde protests, but Baram insists that he gives him this favor, since he doesn't want to go through whatever torture their pursuers have in mind. He taunts Clyde when he hesitates and begins to shake. Since I feel like it, here's the last bit of dialogue.  
  
BARAM: "Are you... shaking? I can't believe it! You're acting like a coward! Come on, you weakling! Grab a knife and..."  
CLYDE: "I CAN'T!"  
(Clyde turns to go again)  
BARAM: "Clyde!!!"  
(Clyde turns his head and looks back)  
CLYDE: "I'm sorry..."  
(He exits, leaving Baram.)  
BARAM: "Clyde! How dare you!?"  
  
Jesus, it reads like a bad romance novel. Anyway, these dream scenes are to blame for my evil little Baram x Clyde thoughts. You can flame me all you like, but ...it's not really going to do anything. (Feel free to note how unbelievably sad I am for writing this stuff down. Argh.)  
  
One Last Note: Takes place before the scene described above and after they robbed the million-GP train. You can figure out the rest; I have confidence in your intelligence.  
  
On with the show.  
  
  
**********  
  
  
Somehow even the way he sat exuded confidence. So he had the tiniest bit of a slouch and perhaps a slump of the shoulders, but his boots were planted firmly on the wooden floor and his legs were ready to propel him into action should the door be opened unannounced.  
  
He sat at the room's one small table, a piece of birch in his capable hands, being whittled away to almost nothing by a seemingly harmless knife. The other occupant of the room knew that if he were to be disturbed, that knife would be sent hurtling at the source of the annoyance. Baram was skilled. Baram was trained. Baram was unusually quiet tonight.  
  
"Something on your mind?" ventured Clyde, sending his older companion a curious look before flopping back onto the bed. "You've hardly said a sentence all night."  
  
Baram looked up from his random carving to give Clyde the once-over. "We have one million pieces of gold, Clyde." he mumbled, barely audible. "The King's lapdogs don't even know who did it yet, more than likely."  
  
"Uh-huh," conceded Clyde, pausing in his staring contest with the ceiling to look at Baram again. "Don't you think I know that? I was sort of there when we did it, you know." With a sigh, he stretched and propped his hands behind his head. "I'm just not used to you being so... silent."  
  
The eyepatched theif pressed his thumb on the edge of his knife. "I don't know what to spend it on. We've spent all this time trying to get money, but for what? We usually end up spending it all on sluts and alcohol!"  
  
"That's you, Baram." corrected Clyde, solemnly.  
  
"...don't give me that lip. I know for a fact you've had a slut of your own."  
  
Clyde flinched and drew his face up in a scowl. "If you're going to be like that, shut the hell up and get another room. You've got the goddamn cash. Just said so yourself." He rolled over so the his back was to Baram. That woman had died giving birth to their daughter, and she deserved more than to be called a slut after she was long gone.  
  
There was a moment of complete silence from his partner. Then, "Ah, shit..." A few shuffled footsteps, and Clyde felt the bed dip down at the center of his back. "You know I didn't mean it. Stop sulking like a wet cat, Cly." He closed his eyes when Baram's hand squeezed his shoulder and lingered.  
  
/Not this again,/ he thought, /not that little lingering touch he likes to give me, oh no./  
  
It wasn't that Clyde found it gut-wrenchingly terrible or was even made uncomfortable by Baram's hand on him; it was more the confusion that came with it. He had no earthly idea why Baram let himself touch his younger partner at all, much less in such a... friendly way. They were more business partners than friends, really; their moments of kindness and familiarity with each other came and went swiftly, and they always lapsed back into stiff conversation after the adrenaline wore off.  
  
There was no mistake, though, that Clyde liked Baram; and it was becoming more apparent with each passing day that Baram did in fact like Clyde just as much, if not more.   
  
His hand was still on Clyde's shoulder. "Hey, let's split the cash now... whaddya say?" Baram stood up and stomped over to the weighty bag that held the gold.  
  
It was not, in actuality, a literal "million pieces of gold." The bag contained the monatay equivalent of it, and as such was considerably lighter. Baram, never one for extreme tact, merely upended the bag and shook it until the contents were spilled all over the table and some of the floor.  
  
"Okay..." began Baram, grabbing fistfuls of gold pieces and paper notes. "It was three hundred for the room."  
  
"A complete rip-off," chimed in Clyde, taking interest now that they were on the subject of cash. "We've only got one bed!"  
  
Baram gave him a glance that sent chills up his spine before continuing, "Right. And then we picked up a bunch of potions. That was... oh, about fifteen hundred?" He waited for Clyde's nod. "There we go then... this'll do it... and yours... mine... some more here..." He leaned back, smirking. "That's about right. Go on, take yours, Clyde."  
  
Without an iota of hesitation, Clyde reached out and pocketed the neat stack of bills and coins. As he was stuffing it down in the secret pocket of his jacket, however, he paused and looked at Baram's pile. "Let me see that," he muttered, stretching his arm to touch the rest of the money.   
  
"Ah!" snickered Baram, grabbing it out of the other man's reach before he could even touch it. He watched with a good measure of amusement as Clyde furrowed his brow in annoyance. "Why won't you let me make sure you divided it up fairly?!" snapped the younger. "Are you up to something?"  
  
Baram shut his eyes briefly, a smile flickering over his face. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He opened his eyes again to watch as Clyde stood, face dark with anger. "Now now, calm down. I've got... oh... three thousand of your share."  
  
He couldn't resist widening his smile when Clyde's expression took a turn for the worse. "Hey hey hey, don't be so hasty," he said, casually lifting his knife again. /Just because you're mad doesn't make me helpless! /  
  
Clyde backed down, looking caught between confusion and fury. /What's Baram up to? He's never acted like this before. I don't get it./  
  
"Hold still, Clyde. Hold still. I'll give you your cash back if you do, and neither of us'll have to worry about it again, okay?"  
  
It wasn't much of a reassurance, and Clyde's mind flew into a fit of panic. /Oh my god. Oh shit. What's he going to do to me?/ He clenched his teeth as Baram inched closer. He knew he was no match for the older, bigger man, and he wasn't in the mood to find out how badly the guy could kick his ass. /Ohshit-ohshit-ohshit.../ His brain went into something of a shutdown as he felt the tip of Baram's knife press to the side of his throat, cold and sharp and deadly. He at last gave up and closed his eyes, doing his best to maintain his dignity.  
  
"Just... hold... still..." whispered Baram, voice close and breath upon his cheek.  
  
Clyde's eyes snapped open again when he felt the first hard press of Baram's mouth to his own. The man's mouth was a strange contrast of soft and rough, tender skin made rough from chapping wind and neglect. Clyde stiffened in panic as he felt a warm wet tongue swipe at his mouth; he fidgeted and was instantly reminded of the knife at his throat.   
  
Baram eased up for a moment. "Stay still," he ordered. Then, softer, "...Clyde..." Surprised by the tone in his voice, Clyde stopped his restless motions and stared up at his companion. "There you go." murmured Baram, as though reassuring a child. Then he moved back in for another kiss.  
  
This time he was slower, free hand reaching to cup the back of Clyde's neck. Baram nibbled on the younger man's bottom lip, mumbling something incoherent. Clyde got the picture and, ever-mindful of the weapon that held his life in check, opened his mouth.   
  
He was rewarded with the unusual sensation of having another man's tongue in his mouth. Baram was more aggressive and just plain bigger than any woman he'd ever been with, and the scratch of stubble against his own 5 o'clock shadow did nothing to give him any illusions. Baram was also a very, very good kisser.  
  
Unable to see any other solution to his situation short of getting himself killed, Clyde gave in and relaxed, closing his eyes and letting his body take over. He numbly felt himself kiss back, felt his body cleave closer to the taller, warmer one. /Shit... I can't believe I'm... ohhh, feels good.../ He moaned a little as he found himself picked up, held tightly and safely in Baram's arms and carried to the bed.   
  
When he realized where he was now, only one thought registered. "Oh, FUCK." Then he froze again, staring over at Baram, hoping that he hadn't given him any untoward ideas. Hell no, he wasn't going to have sex with this guy! Knife or not, that was something he was just not interested in! Kissing was one thing, but this...  
  
Baram smirked and rolled his shoulders, his hand warm on Clyde's neck. Then, he calmly tossed the knife across the room. "You should see your face right now, Cly." Baram tossed his head back and laughed, long and loud.   
  
Clyde scowled again, bowing his head. "You can gimme my money now," he said sullenly.  
  
"In a second," replied Baram, moving his hand again to brush against Clyde's heated cheek. "I've had the urge to do that ever since I saw you in action. Quick and strong and clever. You'll outlive me."  
  
He was going to make a smartassed remark until he looked up and saw the eerie expression on Baram's face. His one visible eye was half closed, and his left hand was coming up, up... to the eyepatch. His fingers flicked it over, and Clyde, for the first time, saw what was hidden underneath.  
  
It was a perfectly normal-seeming eye.  
  
At first glance, that is. In actuality it was milky white, completely blind to the world. "I keep it covered up," Baram said, "because it scares people. ...Does it... scare you?"  
  
Clyde stared at him for a moment, thoughts other than a blinded eye in his head. He didn't know why Baram was doing this to him, why he was taunting him and kissing him and... finally this. Opening up to him. It was an intimidating thing, actually.  
  
He quietly regarded his partner in crime for a moment or too, looking him over and staring at every inch. Even the eye, which swirled a bit every few moments and never stayed fixed in a single spot. "...No. Not really. It's just you."  
  
Baram's face softened with a smile. "Just me. Cly, thanks for... being my partner."  
  
The younger man felt his face heat up again, suddenly very aware of the warm press of Baram's hand against his cheek. "Y-yeah," he forced out, "just gimme my money."  
  
"Oh, no... hold on! Just one more thing. And yes, stop looking, the knife's all the way over there." Ignoring Clyde's protests, Baram pulled him into his lap, pressing him close. Very close. Clyde growled in irritation and squirmed, pressing his hands against Baram's chest for leverage. It was no use, however, and he remained a captive in the other theif's arms. "Just hold still," Baram repeated, still grinning.  
  
With a tolerant sigh, Clyde slumped into his arms and waited for whatever it was that Baram wanted to do. He got his answer in just a moment - Baram caught his mouth again, all fiercely gentle tongue and insistent lips. He gave a soft moan of surprise and leaned into the kiss before he could catch himself, melting under Baram's skilled touch.  
  
"And that, Cly," purred Baram, reaching into his pocket to retrieve Clyde's money, "is how you pay your debts to me."   
  
**********  
  
Shadow sat up with a gasp, hand clenched tightly on the sheets of his bed. His room was private, so he had indulged in taking off his mask for the night. Now feeling suddenly exposed, he groped for the piece of black material. He yanked it over his face and breathed raggedly.  
  
It had been a long, long time since he'd had that dream. Baram was long gone, and it was all his fault... he couldn't really allow himself to have such... pleasant dreams about him.   
  
He rolled back over in bed, a tense hand over his mask. The only dreams that would come to him now were nightmares. Only nightmares, because he was still paying his debt to Baram.  
  
-END  
  
  
Ick, thpppt, such fluff. Tell me how terribly evil it was, please. 


End file.
